Reading with Wanderland Writers at A Great Good Place for Books, Authors of Wandering in Cornwall: Mystery, Mirth, and Transformation in the Land of the Ancient Celts Wednesday, January 20th, 2016 || 7pm A Great Good Place for Books|| 6120 LaSalle Avenue Oakland, CA 94611 || http://www.ggpbooks.com/ It’s another Wanderland Writers celebration. Wine, snacks, readings, and a brand new book in the Wandering series. This time Wanderland Writers venture deep into Cornwall, exploring its castles, its contrast. They find, of course, its legacy of Camelot, the lingering shadows of Arthurian legend, tragic love, magic, and Merlin. They also find its sorrows, buried deep in its history like the now closed mines, where the windswept moors and jagged coasts made everyday events of shipwrecks, isolation, and cave-ins. Yet, as workshop leaders Joanna Biggar and Linda Watanabe McFerrin and their fellow travelers discover, that is not the whole story. They also encounter the wonderful and hospitable Cornish, with their enchanting accents, their delightful yarns, their humor, their endurance. They wander, bicycle, hike and kayak to explore hills, waterways, villages and moors in search of the spirit of artists and writers who have come before them to leave an imprint on this untamed land. “Wandering in Cornwall is a beguiling collection of stories and poems about the extreme west of England. Everything that makes Cornwall so special is here: pasties, clotted cream artists, smugglers, the South West Coast Path and even the thieving seagulls. Readers who know Cornwall will be inspired to return and newcomers to this land of myth and legend will vow to see it for themselves.” —Hilary Bradt MBE, Co-founder of Bradt Travel Guides “Careful, reader. This book is a delight, no doubt about it. But now I have to go to Cornwall.” —Tim Cahill, Author of Jaguars Ripped My Flesh and Hold the Enlightenment

LEFT COAST WRITERS LITERARY SALON: Don George, Author of The Way of Wanderlust Monday, February 1st, 2016 || 7pm Book Passage-Corte Madera|| 51 Tamal Vista Dr. Corte Madera || www.bookpassage.com He has guided, edited, and published the work of some of the world’s top travel writers and now, finally, we have a winning collection of his own work. Don George’s new book is The Way of Wanderlust, is a collection of his best stories and essays, from climbing Kilimanjaro and contemplating the magic of Uluru to exploring the jungles of Cambodia and the backcountry temples of Shikoku. Don has made his living as a travel writer and editor virtually since college. His first real job was as a travel writer for the San Francisco Examiner. From there he moved onto a short stint as an editor at the Examiner’s Sunday magazine, then he became the travel editor for the Examiner & Chronicle for nine years. When the allure of cyberspace became irresistible, Don joined Salon.com and founded theirgroundbreaking travel site, Wanderlust. Then he moved on to become Global Travel Editor for Lonely Planet Publications. After an exhilarating ride there, he is now Editor at Large and Book Review Columnist for National Geographic Traveler magazine, Special Features Editor and Blogger for Gadling.com, and Editor of Geographic Expedition’s online magazine, Wanderlust: Literary Journeys for the Discerning Traveler.

Expanding Travel Writing to Fiction Workshop with Linda Watanabe McFerrin Saturday, February 7th, 2015, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Location: Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Boulevard, Corte Madera, CA 94925 $140 (includes copy of Dead Love) Register here You love writing beautifully about place, but as markets shrink, you might want to stretch your horizons. The great news is that, in an age where navigating the globe has never been more important, fabulous settings—along with super dialog—have become one of the keys to the best fiction, both speculative and reality-based. So leap into this bold new travel writing terrain. Join award-winning travel writer and novelist, Linda Watanabe McFerrin, in a workshop designed to show you how to take your writing about place to a whole new dimension that is out of this world. Exciting info on craft, exercises, and work on your individual projects are all part of this day-long adventure. Students will receive a complimentary copy of Dead Love (with slipcover) on the day of class. Poet, travel writer, and novelist Linda Watanabe McFerrin (www.lwmcferrin.com) is a contributor to numerous newspapers, magazines and anthologies. Her novel, Namako: Sea Cucumber, was named Best Book for the Teen-Age by the New York Public Library. In addition to

LEFT COAST WRITERS BOOK LAUNCH: Lost, Kidnapped, Eaten Alive by Laurie McAndish King Saturday, August 9th, 2014 || 7pm Book Passage-Corte Madera|| 51 Tamal Vista Dr. Corte Madera || www.bookpassage.com What happens when a practical midwestern gal sets off to explore the world? Laurie McAndish King’s travels seem innocent in the planning stage, but surprising adventure unfolds as she finds herself tracking lions without a gun in Botswana … attempting to eat a horse in southern Italy … marrying a Maasai warrior in Kenya … and sampling the world’s most expensive coffee—brewed from the excrement of a small Balinese mammal. Whether she is lost in Melbourne, kidnapped in the Tunisian desert, or eaten alive by the blood-sucking

LEFT COAST WRITERS LITERARY SALON: David Downie, author of Paris to the Pyrenees: A Skeptic Pilgrim Walks the Way of Saint James Monday, May 6th, 2013 || 7pm Book Passage || Corte Madera 51 Tamal Vista Drive, Corte Madera ||www.bookpassage.com Whether you are worldly, unworldly, other-worldly or out-of-this-worldly, you won’t want to miss our May Literary Salon. Renowned travel writer David Downie will share the tools of his trade with us. David has written extensively about world travel and Paris in particular, with books like Paris, Paris: Journey to the City of Light, Paris City of Night, and his most recent Paris to the Pyrenees: A Skeptic Pilgrim Walks the Way of Saint James. He’ll talk about travel, travel writing and Paris and answer questions about exploring a place or a passion and writing about it. Trust us, there can be no better

LEFT COAST WRITERS LITERARY SALON: An Evening with Lonely Planet: Alison Bing Monday, January 2, 2012 || 7pm Book Passage || Corte Madera 51 Tamal Vista Drive, Corte Madera ||www.bookpassage.com If you have a thirst for literary adventure, don’t miss our first salon of 2012. The New Year takes off with a look at the world as we spend an evening with Lonely Planet, the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company, now owned exclusively by BBC Worldwide, was founded by Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 1973 when they published Across Asia on the Cheap.Originally called Lonely Planet Publications, the company changed its name to Lonely Planet in July 2009 to reflect its broad travel industry offering and the emphasis on digital products. As of 2010, it publishes about 500 titles in 8 languages, as well as TV programs, a magazine, mobile phone applications and websites. Lonely Planet author, Alison Bing, will be our guide as we explore the globe, travel writing, and the literary landscape … Lonely Planet style.

Eat, Play, Love: Cooking and Writing from the Heart in the Lowcountry with Linda Watanabe McFerrin and the Southern Sampler Artists Colony, April 17-24, 2012 The 2012 workshop will fill up quickly, so if you if you have any interest you should let the organizers know! Welcome home! The rocking chairs beckon. Can you smell the salt air? Stir, fry, mix, mold, blend, stew, bake, roast, whip, sprinkle, dip, fold—embrace old and new friends, celebrate community, and create shared stories to be embellished in time. Event Highlights: “Marsh-to-Plate”: Cast your net with Captain Anton. Oysters, clams, crabs, redfish and flounder anyone? Dinner will feature the catch of the day. Anton will help in the preparation, and read from the book he is writing. The Dark and Light Side of Chocolate: Discover the magic of chocolate making with renown chocolatier, David Vagasky. Certified Organic Produce, Fresh and Local: A personal tour of the Joseph Fields Farm, located on Johns Island, wouldn’t be complete without supper on the banks of the nearby Stono River. Alluette, owner of Alluette’s Café, will be in charge. And don’t forget live jazz and poetry under a starry sky. Lawn Party: Brush up on your croquet game, concoct a Southern drink for the occasion, and devil some eggs. Charleston friends will join in the fun. The Spice of Life: From delicate to tangy and sweet, Sea Island Savory Herbs, located on Johns Island, has it all. A private tour will feature innovative use of heirloom herbs in the art of cooking. Stirring the Creative Juices with Cathleen O’Brien Create your very own Altered Book. Contribute to a Collective Workshop Cookbook Learn how to make fish prints with artist, Sue Wallace. Writing Workshop with Linda Watanabe McFerrin Workshop 1: Starters Workshop 2: Word Salad Workshop 3: Comfort Food Workshop 4: Toasts, Boasts, and Roasts Workshop 5: Lovely Desserts Cost of Colony Experience: Cost is $1,800 ($1,950 if paid after December 15, 2011) for a private room, and $1,600 ($1,750 if paid after December 15, 2011) for a shared room. The choice of private and separate rooms depends upon availability at time of registration. In order to assure workshop placement please send a $500 check deposit (fully refundable before October 10th) made out to Southern Sampler Artists Colony with private or shared room preference to: Mary Brent Cantarutti, 233 Santa Margarita Drive, San Rafael, CA 94901.There will be ten workshop participants; placement will be finalized in order of receipt of deposits. The company is everything! Charleston here we come! Mary Brent & Martha